Cherry blossom truths
by K' Korrane
Summary: Part 2 of the Konoha high tales. Sakura and Ino have known each other since they were kids, they've been very close for the last few years, but every relationship is truly tested when trust is involved.
1. Chapter 1

When one is known as a straight-A student, telling the truth usually comes naturally. For Sakura Haruno, this was the norm she'd always known, for Ino Yamanaka, it was a different story.

"Come on, Ino, you can do this. We've been over it a thousand times."

The pinkette brought her forefinger and thumb together against her brow in frustration, her long bangs hanging gently from either side of her face as her head lowered to meet the arm. Closing her eyes as she rubbed at them for a moment, she let out a sigh, her posture slouching slightly as she tried to keep her composure for fear of yelling in the school's library. The girl was standing but leaning back against the desk behind her, dressed in the traditional Konoha high uniform which consisted of a white and black sailor shirt with the school's emblem on the sleeve and a pleated gray skirt along with plain black shoes and knee-high white socks. She watched the girl who sat slumped over the desk beside her with the back end of a pen between her teeth and a hand supported by her elbow on the desk against her cheek, further accentuating the look of boredom on her face.

"Sakura, just 'cause you're acing biology doesn't mean I'm gonna catch up if you're helping me study."

The blonde slumped back in her seat with a sigh of her own, her knees rising to support herself with the desk as she balanced her chair on it's back legs.

"Besides, if I can't work it out, I can always use your answers."

The cheeky wink that followed only served to raise her partner's eyebrow, the unimpressed look Sakura shot back at her caused Ino's smile to drop as quickly as it came.

"No you can't." Sakura shifted in place, crossing one leg over the other as she sat herself on the desk. "I can help you study, but you can't keep cheating your way through the tests. It's bad enough that I let you do it this long."

The sudden impact of wood against stone caught the pinkette by surprise, Ino had risen from her seat and was making her steady way around the desk towards her long time friend. The slow sway in her hips and the half-lidded eyes fixated on her caused Sakura's cheeks to flush against her will, she knew exactly what Ino was trying to do and knew exactly what she needed to do to stop her. The only question in her mind, was whether she actually wanted to stop her.

"C'mon now, Sakura, you know I need your help." Giving a soft flutter of her eyelashes, showing off the full effect of the expensive mascara she used, she leaned in close to the sitting girl. "Can't you just give in for me? I can make it worth your while."

Trapped by the blonde with both hands being held against the desk by slender fingers, Sakura could only keep her eyes fixated on the two pale blue orbs that inched closer to her. Her face heating as she glanced at Ino's full lips, almost able to taste the cherry gloss she always coated them in between classes.

"I-Ino... We're in the library." Sakura's voice came shakier than she was intending, trying to talk the blonde down before she got them both in trouble. "Someone could see us..."

"Just a kiss, to get you to see it my way. I know you can't resist."

Ino licked at her slyly curled lips, her eyes locked on Sakura's as she steadily closed the distance between them. Had it not been for her backing up to avoid the contact, Sakura would've simply let it happen and eventually let Ino have her way like she often did. Had it not been for her backing up, she would've remained sitting.

The light bang as the back of Sakura's head bumped on the desk caused her to quickly look around in case anyone had heard, an action that distracted her long enough for Ino to take advantage and climb up to straddle the pinkette's legs. Practically hunched over the desk to bring them closer again, Ino grinned as she pinned her best friend beneath her.

"Ino... Someone might see us..."

She desperately hoped that repeating herself would push some sense into the blonde's head, the reply shattered her hope of escaping with her pride.

"Let them watch."

She could feel Ino's breath on her lips, her own catching in her throat as she wracked her brain for some kind of rapid response, anything to get Ino to back down before they got caught.

The blonde almost gave a disappointed groan as her lips met with Sakura's cheek, the girl beneath her having quickly turned her head at the last second, her eyes staring off towards the bookshelves on the far side of the room as she used everything she had to keep her expression neutral.

"Fine... I'll help you with your answers."

Ino pushed her bottom lip out in a childish pout as she crawled herself back from her pinned friend and slipped from the desk.

"You're no fun today."

Sakura breathed a heavy sigh, it wasn't the first time Ino had used their relationship to get her own way but it was getting more dangerous lately. The pair had known each other since they were around six years old and despite having their differences over the years, nowadays they couldn't be closer.

They weren't exactly keeping their feelings for each other secret, they would frequently be seen walking home together or holding hands in the hallways, but Sakura wasn't one to flaunt what they had. She always felt uncomfortable seeing other couples displaying their affection so openly, so she feared that having people see her acting intimate towards Ino in public would make her feel even worse. Not that she would ever admit it to Ino herself, she couldn't let her think she was ashamed of what they had.

Pulling herself back up to a sitting position she glanced around the library once more, giving the once over to make sure there was nobody around before lightly swatting at her friend's shoulder, causing her to jolt from her pouting to over-dramatically rub at the spot with a shocked look on her face.

"What was that for?"

"You know exactly what it was for, what're you thinking trying to..." Sakura paused for a moment as the scenario played itself in her head again, causing her cheeks to flush despite the stern look she was giving. "Just.. Let me grab my books..."

She didn't like making Ino feel guilty, the look in her eyes always caused her heart to ache in the worst way, but from past experiences it was one of the only ways to get her to listen. Catching a glimpse of the blonde as she made her way back to her seat, it wasn't clear if she was really disheartened or just putting it on for sympathy, but the gentle smile Ino gave her when their eyes caught each other put her worries at ease for the moment.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So when pressure is applied, the heart reacts by-"

Both girls quickly turned their attention to the large clock at the far end of the library when the school's bell cut Sakura off from her explanation. A whole forty minutes had gone by in what only felt like ten, and Sakura gave a short sigh as she glanced over at Ino's notebook with only a few scribbles to show that anything had actually been achieved in their free period.

"C'mon, Ino, we better get to class. A few notes is better than none, I'm sure you'll do fine."

Standing to gather her things, the pinkette glanced back down at her friend who was taking somewhat longer to pack her belongings away. A fleeting thought that she may have hurt Ino's feelings before caused her stomach to tense painfully, though she didn't allow herself to show that she was worried for both their sakes.

"Wait, you didn't finish." Ino spoke up suddenly once she'd slipped her last textbook into her designer bag. "What does happen to a heart when you put pressure on it?"

Almost taken aback by the sudden interest in actually learning, Sakura had to think for a moment about what she was saying before the bell.

"Well, the first thing that happens is-"

Her eyes opened wide as she felt the touch of Ino's fingers on her chest, the palm joining quickly to grab a handful of her subtle curve. The blush that washed over her cheeks only fueled the heat in her body as her immediate response of crying out in embarrassment was halted by the cherry flavored lips that suddenly claimed her own. Ino's other hand held her firmly but carefully around her hip, the tender grip on her modest bust clamping down just a little harder which caused the trembling girl to gasp softly into her best friend's mouth, the action giving the blonde the opportunity to slip her tongue past the lips of her stunned prey. In the few seconds it took for Sakura to realize she'd been had, the pinkette had already slipped her own arms around the midsection of the slightly taller girl, her eyes closing as she allowed herself to indulge in the moment of passion.

Until the sound of several books hitting the stone floor caused both girls to pull apart and snap their attention to the source.

"Y.. you two are..."

Kiba Inuzuka, the resident class clown and general nice guy, his eyes wide and his mouth agape as he stood staring between the gap in the bookshelves, his study material scattered by his feet as his mind tried to process exactly what he was looking at.

"I can't believe you guys wouldn't tell me about this, I thought I was your friend."

The pair of blushing girls simply stared at Kiba, the shock of his sudden appearance still showing clearly on their faces as they tried to catch their breath.

"C'mon, Kiba, it's not like we do this all the time, we were just trying to avoid getting caught by the teachers."

The voice of Kiba's friend Shikamaru came from behind the nearby bookcase, slightly shaken at the accusation coming from the disgruntled teen.

"You were supposed to tell me when you were gonna go get the new game, I was gonna come with you guys."

The girls simply watched Kiba disappear behind the bookcase to lecture Shikamaru and Choji about the importance of sticking together as guys and never to leave him out of their gaming sessions. Once clear of any further interruption, the pair locked eyes for just a moment before breaking into uncontrollable giggling.

"Jeez, that was kinda a rush." Ino had to practically bite her finger to keep from laughing louder and catching the boys' attention. "I thought we were actually gonna get caught."

Sakura managed to stop her snickering long enough to let her blush return full force, her heart racing a hundred beats a second and her body starting to feel hot. She knew if she stayed here and Ino had any more time to think about it, things were going to get dangerous very quickly. Taking action before the blonde could snatch the opportunity, Sakura grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder with an awkward smile.

"Th-the heart, reacts by..."

The sly smile on her study partner's lips returned as she stepped forwards, her hand reached to give Sakura's hips a gentle pull towards her, planting one more quick but tender kiss on the blushing girl's lips before she too moved to grab her bag.

"Don't worry babe, I think I got it."

She gave a wink as she turned away, a wink that affected the pinkette a lot more than the cheeky one she had been given earlier, causing the blush on her cheeks to flush a deeper shade of pink as she sheepishly followed behind her cheerfully humming partner.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next few hours passed by as they normally did, Sakura listening and taking notes during her classes while Ino only managed around half as much. The other half of that time would be spent looking bored or mildly irritated, mostly due to the fact that the seating arrangements in the biology class had Sakura sitting two rows in front of her. It wasn't that she didn't want to learn from the classes she was taking, but she couldn't deny to herself that she was only taking those classes because Sakura was, and that she was in danger of being dropped if she couldn't keep up.

As she scribbled down a few notes, Ino gave a short sigh, slumped in her usual position with her cheek against her hand and the back end of her pen tapping against the desk in an imaginary rhythm. The highlights of the lesson came once every now and then, when Sakura would raise her hand to answer a question and briefly glance back to smile, which was met with a silent applause and childish grin from the blonde.

By the time the final bell rang, Ino had managed to chew yet another pen to death for her steadily growing collection. She slipped her books into her bag and slung it over her shoulder, moving hurriedly to the side of her best friend.

"You ready to go?" She grinned as she pressed her palms against Sakura's desk, the pinkette still seated while she calmly gathered her things and stowed them in her bag. "I am so hyped for movie night tonight, we decided on a rom-com this time right?"

Sakura simply nodded, closing up her bag and standing up to leave without so much as a glance as she passed. Watching her best friend's back with a raised eyebrow, Ino straightened up and started following behind.

Sakura stayed quiet for the majority of the walk home, only speaking up a few times to say goodbye to a handful of other students as they passed by. It was unusual for her to be so openly cold towards Ino, even when she was mad she would at least say so, with a slight skip to put herself in front of her pink-headed friend, the determined blonde decided to press the issue.

"Sakura, is something wrong?"

"We'll talk about it when we get home."

The stone tone that pierced her caused Ino to stop in her tracks for a moment, her eyes wide and fixated on the sight of the girl she called her closest friend, walking away without looking back, continuing along the path they always took.

The pair lived together in a sense, both girls technically lived with their parents across town from each other, but during the week when they had to be in school each day they stayed in a small apartment that was paid for by both families. The arrangement was made since the place was much closer to the school, and neither girl was able to hide their enthusiasm for the idea at the time, though they had come across a few issues at the start. There wasn't a huge amount of space to work with inside, but the girls had put in the effort to make it feel like a home: Sakura had picked out some paintings and ornaments that gave the rooms a more artistic air, while Ino had used her knowledge as a florist to brighten up the place with various flowers and potted plants.

The silence of their home was broken by the door opening and closing, neither girl had said another word since Ino had caught up and they didn't even look each other in the eyes until Sakura had walked through to the sitting room and settled on the couch. Her expression was hard to read, she was definitely mad but it felt different from usual, often her temper would show itself with a smack upside the head or a pillow thrown clear across the room. This was different though, she was calm, quiet. Ino felt pressure she hadn't felt since she was a young girl being sat down for a serious talk by her mother, and it was starting to scare her.

"Sit with me, Ino."

She didn't have the same cold demeanor she showed outside, but the way she was staring at the blonde still made her feel uneasy. Making her steady way over to the white, cotton seat, she settled herself down quietly and nervously fiddled with her skirt, waiting for whatever it was that had Sakura in such a scary mood.

"You lied to me, Ino."

The accusation caught her off guard, her eyes immediately locking onto the pinkette's cold emeralds, her back straightening as she seemed to almost jump in her seat.

"W-what? What are you talking about, Sakura? I would never lie to you, you're my best-"

"Don't give me that, you broke the promise you made to me."

Ino stared at the stern glare she was getting in return, her eyes flicking between the features on Sakura's face as she wracked her brain to work out what she was talking about. The sigh that escaped the pinkette's lips signaled that she was running out of time, her own mouth silently opening and closing as she tried desperately to come out with something.

"I.. You mean... The promise I made to prep your next bath? Borrow that movie from Karin?"

Sakura simply closed her eyes and shook her head, her sigh cutting through the quiet that squeezed Ino's chest while her expression dropped.

"It meant a lot to me, Ino... I thought it meant a lot to you too."

Realization struck her. Ino's form slumped forwards as she placed her hands over her eyes, the weight of the tension pressing down on her back as her mind struggled to come up with something to say that wouldn't make things worse.

"Sakura... I'm trying, I swear I'm trying."


	2. Chapter 2

The ways we lie come in different forms. Lies that can start rumors, lies to cover up mistakes, promises broken, and little white lies. Hiding the truth can bring hurt or comfort, but the one consistency is that if found out, the liar will often hurt the most.

Ino sat alone with nothing but her thoughts to keep her busy, submerged up to her shoulders in the warm water after being sent to bathe by herself, as opposed to the usual routine of helping each other wash while cheerfully chatting about the day's events. She didn't bother to tie up her hair or even spend much time cleaning, truth be told, the only reason she was even there was to think. Her knees pulled tightly to her chest with her arms wrapped around to hold them in place, the melancholic blonde stared vacantly at the steamy surface of the water, silently racing her mind to figure out what she was going to do to make up with her best friend.

 _"What else do you want me to say, Sakura? I'm sorry, I know I messed up but I'm gonna try to do better I swear."_

 _Sakura glanced up at the blonde who had abandoned her seat a few minutes ago and was now pacing back and forth in front of her, stopping only when she'd come up with something new to say._

 _"I told you, Ino. I'm not mad at you, I'm just disappointed."_

 _"You know that's so much worse." Ino frowned, jabbing towards her friend with an accusing finger. "You're only saying that cause you know my mom says the same thing when she's trying to guilt trip me."_

 _She was starting to panic, starting to lose control of some of the nervous ticks she only showed when she was truly stressed out. Sakura watched the girl before her as her left hand rose to scratch uncontrollably at her neck, it was true that she hated pushing Ino into this state, but she had to keep pushing if she was going to make her see how important the issue was._

 _"All I want you to do, Ino.." The pinkette sighed softly, but kept her firm look as she spoke. "Is to not forget what that promise meant. Not just to me, but to you too."_

"What it meant to me..."

Ino let out a long, deep sigh as she let her head droop, resting her forehead against her knees. Closing her eyes, the lone girl took slow breaths, feeling the steam wash over her features while the thin strands of her hair that managed to escape from behind her ears, fell in loose coils against the surface of the water.

"It was so long ago... What if it really does mean more to her now?"

She could feel a heavy lump in the back of her throat, her eyes stung despite the fact they were clenched shut, she was using everything she could muster to hold back the tears she felt she wasn't allowed to shed. Until a soft click and a slow creak pulled her attention across the room. The sight of her friend walking slowly across the tiled floor managed to force back her need to cry, and instead her cheeks flushed a pale pink at the form before her eyes.

Covered only by a small towel tied around her waist, Sakura strode with an unseen grace towards the large bath. Her long hair had been tied up into a loose bun, and she seemed to be carrying a small container that didn't look like her usual shampoo or body wash. She had seen it many times since the pair had been living together, but something about Sakura's naked body entranced Ino; the way her modest chest gave the cutest of bounces with each step, or the slow and subtle sway in her hips that she always tried to prevent when she was in public. Right now, she didn't have the air of a high school student, to Ino, she was a woman.

And she was the most attractive woman she had ever met.

The pinkette sighed as she set herself down on the edge of the bath, glancing down at the round pot in her hand before looking over at the girl who frustrated her so much.

"Ino.. I..."

Lifting her form to sit a little more attentive, the blonde pulled her eyes away from her friend's body long enough to see the pained expression on her face. She didn't know what to say to make things better, but she did know that she couldn't just ignore Sakura's obvious discomfort. Shifting her form, she started to move herself closer, only to be met with a hand signalling her to stop.

"Could you just, turn around?"

Looking almost hurt herself, Ino slowly turned away, sitting herself back down with her legs crossed beneath the water. It didn't take long to hear the gentle sound of Sakura's towel hitting the floor, only to be followed by the unmistakable sound of her sliding into the bath. Resisting the urge to look back, Ino kept her gaze focused on the bottles of hair and skin care products arranged at the far side, listening to the girl behind her moving steadily closer.

"I'm sorry."

Ino's eyes widened, glancing back just a little for a brief moment, instead she simply shook her head.

"What do you have to be sorry for?"

She could hear Sakura sigh, feel her breath against the back of her neck, signalling just how close she was.

"I'm sorry, that I pushed you to this again." The pinkette's slender fingers snaked slowly over Ino's shoulders, delicately gathering handfuls of soft, blonde hair to gently pull it to her right side. Watching it cascade over the pale shoulder, clearing the way for her to carefully slide her fingertips over the shallow cuts on her friend's neck. "I know you hate this, and still I got you in such a state."

As insecure as she always felt when she left marks on herself, Ino simply let out a quiet scoff.

"It's not your fault, I should have better control over it by now."

The sound of the lid popping free of the container Sakura brought with her caught Ino's attention, taking only a few seconds before the touch of the pinkette's fingers returned to her neck, along with a cool sensation over the soreness of her earlier scratching.

"This won't do much to cover it up, but it'll at least soothe the pain till you put your makeup on tomorrow."

A quivering smile pulled at Ino's lips, even despite how angry and upset the pair had been just a half hour or so ago, Sakura was still willing to go the extra mile to make her feel better. She shifted, much to the pinkette's surprise, pulling herself into a kneeling position before turning to face the girl she'd spent most of her life with. Settled just a little higher up than her confused friend, she gave her the same smile, bottom lip twitching with the fight to hold back tears, before closing the gap to take her lips with her own.

Giving only a small sound of protest, Sakura quickly surrendered to the kiss, her eyes closing as she started to delicately return it, her lips moving in unpracticed unison with Ino's as the pair embraced, sinking slightly in the warm water while their bodies slowly melted in each other's affection. Deep breaths through noses and tender, wet sounds of lips parting against each other drowned out the light splashing of their bodies pulling closer together. The girls remained in their own small world of passion and bliss, until the moment was broken by the sudden sound of the plastic pot falling to the floor when Sakura's shoulder bumped against the side of the bath. Both girls jumped at the impact, pulling away just enough to check the source, before staring back at each other with heavy breaths and rosy cheeks.

The pair smiled together, Sakura reaching slowly with her finger to lightly boop her friend, causing the blonde to flinch slightly, which was followed quickly by a soft giggle at the tingly sensation of the cool ointment being left on the tip of her nose.

"I love you, you lovable pig."

"I love you too, you big, kissable forehead."

With synchronized giggles, the pair leaned in for another brief kiss on the lips, before Sakura slowly freed herself from the tight embrace and turned to pull herself out of the water, leaving Ino to sit back and stare at her smooth, shapely rear on the way out.

"Don't stay in there too long, I changed my mind about the couch."

The blonde's cheeks flushed once more, as Sakura put a little extra hip into her strut out of the bathroom. Their parents didn't know but the girls had gotten rid of the single beds in the bedroom not long after moving in together, and replaced them with a double that let them snuggle together comfortably. The thought of Sakura waiting for her gave Ino all the motivation to practically fling herself out of the bath, managing to catch herself on the side before her reckless act caused her to slip over, and after pulling the chain to drain the water away, made her own way out as well.

By the time Ino made it to the bedroom, Sakura was just finishing dressing herself in her sleepwear, a simple pink set of a button up pajama top and draw-string bottoms with a subtle embroidered cherry blossom design trailing down the left leg. She smiled over at the blonde, who, in her haste to follow, had arrived in the room still completely naked and dripping wet. Rolling her eyes, the pinkette simply tossed her towel for Ino to catch, making her way towards the expensive looking vanity table that the blonde had insisted on buying just a few months ago, gesturing to the cushioned stool in front of it before grabbing the hair dryer and brush with a smile.

Her cheeks still sporting a hint of pink, Ino moved to settle herself on the stool, draping the towel over her lap as she did and giving a sheepish smile to the reflection of her best friend.

"Honestly, between staying in the bath too long and running around wet and naked, it's a wonder you don't get sick more often." Sakura smiled warmly in return as she worked to gather Ino's hair. "You should probably consider yourself lucky that I'm a doctor in training."

The sound of the hair dryer drowned out whatever Ino was planning to say in response, instead she opted to close her eyes and let her head fall back slightly, letting Sakura's gentle hands take control. Ino loved her hair, and she knew Sakura did too. She had been the reason the pinkette had grown hers back out again, since she had been told no end of times that she looked better with it long, and she wasn't about to start arguing against Ino's eye for style. Even so, she had been glad she'd listened to the blonde's advice, and despite the fact it had been her idea, Ino had only ever praised her natural beauty over whatever style she thought suited her more. It was a big part of what made her feel like Ino was more than just her friend over the years.

After around ten minutes, Sakura set the hair dryer aside and took her position behind her friend to begin gently brush, taking care to not cause any discomfort as she slowly worked her way from the bottom.

"I got myself pretty bad this time huh?"

Sakura glanced up at the mirror, where Ino had subtly tilted her head to inspect the scratches on her neck.

"Yeah, they're not deep, but you didn't seem to realize how much you were doing it."

The blonde simply nodded, not noticing the saddened expression her friend was giving, hidden from view behind her head.

"Y'know, you're not wrong, Sakura." The sudden exclamation caused the pinkette to pause for a moment, looking quietly at the back of Ino's head. "I do consider myself lucky to have you."

Sakura gave a small scoff and a smile, resuming her gentle brushing.

"You just love me cause I'm the only one who'll put up with you."

"Yeah, I do."

Sakura paused again, staring at the bundle of silky blonde in her hand.

"You're the only person I know who has the patience to put up with my crap, the only one who actually wants me to do my best and isn't just saying it." Ino slowly turned in her seat, facing the kneeling pinkette who still held a small bundle of her hair, her head down as she almost seemed to tremble at Ino's words.

"The only one, who can be pissed beyond words with me, and then an hour later make me feel like a goddamn princess..."

She reached to softly touch Sakura's cheek, her fingers tenderly gliding over the smooth skin to tilt her friend's chin up, both girls' eyes meeting, glossed over with held back tears.

"I love you, Sakura, plain and simple. I want you in my life till we both kick it, and I'm not gonna let our childish promise affect that, cause I'm making a new one now." Sakura's hand rose to gently hold Ino's, fingers interlocking as she smiled through the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

"I promise you, that nothing is gonna separate us. That the dreams those two little girls had are gonna come true. Wherever you go, I'll follow. Whatever comes our way, we'll handle together. I promise, that we're gonna be partners for life. Even if we do drive each other crazy now and then."

Sakura couldn't hold back the tiny giggle as she moved to dry her eyes, only to be halted by Ino's thumb doing it for her, rubbing carefully over her cheeks with that same old loving smile.

"From now till the end of our days, you're stuck with me girl."

Sakura nodded, pulling herself up to wrap her arms around the blonde's neck. Ino simply giggled as she carefully snaked her own arms around Sakura's hips, the pair holding each other tightly as they set free their happy sobbing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 _"Hey, Sakura?"_

 _"What is it Ino?"_

 _The young girl shifted on the grass, turning to her best friend who simply stared back with her usual childish grin._

 _"Let's make a promise."_

 _The pinkette tilted her head curiously, letting her long hair drape down her shoulder._

 _"What kind of promise?"_

 _Ino slipped her hands under Sakura's pulling them towards herself as the younger girl gave a faint blush._

 _"I promise, that as long as I live, I'll always be with you. Even if we go to different schools, I'll sneak out and see you all the time."_

 _Sakura's cheeks flushed a little deeper, glancing about briefly to check if anyone was listening to the embarrassing things her best friend was saying._

 _"I-Ino.. that's such a silly thing to say, you can't just sneak out of school. Besides, I'm sure we'll be in the same place anyway, we have been since we were little."_

 _"I know, but we're gonna be starting high school in a few years, what if we can't be together all the time? What if we're in different classes? What if.."_

 _Sakura gently took hold of her friend's hand, stopping her from scratching at her arm._

 _"Alright." She gave the blonde a warm and loving smile, holding her hands protectively. "I promise, that no matter what, we'll always be together. If one of us has to change classes to do it, then we will. When we grow up and get jobs, we'll both get the same job."_

 _"But, my family is a florist, you're allergic to some of the-"_

 _"I don't care, we'll still be together, even if you have to look after me all the time."_

 _Sakura gave a cheeky smile to which Ino couldn't resist, the pair shifted closer to gently embrace each other._

 _Only to have the teacher call on them to get back to their activity. The girls parted with a brief smile, which fell into childish giggles as they went back to their work._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ino's eyes fluttered open, her blurred vision and the pitch black of the room had her looking around blindly for a few moments, before the gentle shift beside her pulled all her attention. Sakura's sleeping form rolled just a little bit into Ino's front, the fabric of her night shirt rubbed gently against the blonde's bare chest, causing a pleasant sensation through her body as she dared to pull closer. Ino usually slept in just her underwear, and maybe a thin gown if she was feeling fancy, but the heat in recent days meant that she'd abandoned all but her panties, and despite protesting at first because Ino was just 'being flirty', Sakura had eventually opted to wear her shirt open to cool herself.

It wasn't often that Ino got to be the big spoon when the pair snuggled up, but her words earlier in the evening had left Sakura feeling a little more vulnerable than usual, so she was more than happy to let the blonde hold her.

Ino simply listened to her friend breathing, it was unusual for either of them to just wake up in the middle of the night, but something about the dream she was having just got to her. It hadn't really felt like a dream, more like she was simply reliving a memory, a memory that she thought was long gone before now. Her hand slowly slid over Sakura's body, reaching up to gently brush the hair out of her face and back behind her ear, she couldn't see the pinkette's face properly from that angle, but what little she could had a gorgeous glow from the faint light outside the window.

"Maybe, we're not so different from how we were then." She thought to herself, her hand sliding back down to rest on Sakura's hip. "Maybe, I can keep that promise after all."

She leaned in gently to plant a soft kiss against Sakura's neck, pulling just a little closer as she let herself slip back into sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Truths and lies go hand in hand. Both can hurt, both can heal. But while lies will usually spiral further and deeper into the void of mistrust and pain, the truth shall set you free.

In the following week, Ino had truly buckled herself down at school. Having apparently had some kind of change of heart after their talk, Sakura had noticed a distinct lack of her usual lazy behavior in classes as well as a lot more time reading at home. As unusual as the sudden focus on her lessons was, and as exhausted as she was during the evenings, Sakura couldn't help but feel happy, proud at the sheer level of effort her best friend was giving.

That was, until she broke down.

It wasn't clear how much stress Ino had been putting herself through until a few days after their biology mock exam. The day had been going well as far as the pinkette was concerned, classes were mostly relaxed during the buildup to the exams that capped the school year and Ino had been putting on a brave face after they'd sat the practice tests, it was subtle but Sakura was aware that she was worried. She wished that she'd asked her about it, assured her that she was going to be okay no matter what the results were, but evidently the pressure of trying to keep up had taken its toll when Sakura heard a scream of frustration, followed by a crash from the kitchen.

"Ino?! What the hell was that? Are you-"

Emerald eyes widened in horror at the scene that presented itself before her, as she hastily rounded the corner into the room she had to grab the door frame to keep herself from slipping on the puddle spread across the tiled floor. The large pot that the girls used for dishes such as stews, still rolled slightly on the ground, its contents of hot water, various vegetables and a small amount of chopped meat spread wide over the kitchen floor, the knife that Ino had been using to cut the meat ready for the meal had been apparently thrown across the room and lay just under the cupboard with a small chunk taken out of the wooden door where the tip had hit and fallen out. Scanning her eyes over the aftermath of Ino's outburst, Sakura struggled to hold back a loud gasp as she spotted the trembling blonde in the corner, trying to make herself as small as possible with her head against her knees and her hands shakily gripping whatever clumps of hair they could reach. The beautiful blonde being stained crimson as she pulled and ran her bloody fingers over the strands that weren't being yanked out in her frustration.

"Ino! Holy shit, hold on!" Sakura winced in pain as she stepped through the still scalding hot water from the pot, making her way as quickly and carefully as she could to her friend's side, kneeling down to try and get the sobbing blonde to lift her head. "Ino, what the hell happened? Did you hurt yourself? Please, talk to me Ino."

She was scared, in all the years she'd known her she'd never ever seen Ino in this state, but if she was going to help she needed to keep as calm as she could. She tried again to gently lift Ino's head, only to be met with a swatting hand and a cry of fear. As close as she was now, Sakura could see that the blood on her right hand was coming from a cut on her finger, apparently the knife must have slipped while she working on dinner, but what concerned her more was the nasty looking burn on her forearm. From the evidence she could see, Sakura pieced together that Ino had cut her finger and just lost her composure, rather than deal with it calmly, she'd opted to push the pot full of boiling water on the floor, and gotten splashed while doing it.

"Ino, you need to get up, we have to put something on your arm before it does some serious damage."

Her only response was short, shaky breaths followed by feeble whimpering. Sakura was starting to panic herself, her eyes welling up as she tried to think back to her lessons, she'd had a few crash courses in medical care for physical treatment, but nothing had come up for psychology, she had no idea how to help someone having a panic attack or anything related. Feeling helpless and defeated, unable to find some way to bring her best friend back to her senses, Sakura simply draped herself over the blonde, sniffling as she wrapped her arms around her back and head, trying to hold her as close as Ino's curled up form would allow.

"I'm sorry Ino... I'm so sorry... I.. I shouldn't have pushed you so hard, I shouldn't have made you put yourself through this. I just... Wanted you to do well, to feel as proud of yourself as I am when I see you." She couldn't stop herself from crying, pressing her forehead into Ino's hair as her tears stained the shiny blonde on top. "I'm sorry..."

It didn't take long, Sakura's tear-glossed eyes opened in surprise as she felt Ino's arms slowly snake around her midsection, holding her tightly as the shivering blonde started to gain a little more control over her breathing.

"Y'know... I don't think, a doctor is supposed to cry over her patients."

Ino's trembling voice caused Sakura to give a strained chuckle, pulling herself away just enough to see her best friend's face staring back at her. A pained smile on her lips, her eyes red and puffy as her expensive mascara stained her face with dark streaks, a small cut on her lower lip where she'd apparently been biting on it. Regardless of how bad she looked, Sakura couldn't help but smile back, tears rolling down her own cheeks as she pulled herself closer to plant loving kisses over the blonde's features, hands delicately stroking the back of her head.

"I'm sorry Sakura, I didn't mean for things to get this bad..." She gently pulled the pinkette closer, touching her forehead to her own, eyes closing as she used the contact as a focus to try and keep herself calm. "I just, wanted to be better for you. To feel like, I really deserved to stay with you, not just scrape by while holding your hand through the hard stuff."

Sakura simply shook her head, her hands moving to gently take Ino's, not caring right now about the crimson staining her skin.

"You don't have to push yourself to this kind of breaking point just to prove you want to be with me. You know I love you, Ino, and as much as I want to have you alongside me, I would never want you to destroy yourself to get there."

Blonde brushed against pink as Ino shifted, lifting her head without a word to bring her lips to Sakura's. There was no hesitation, and Sakura released her friend's hands to gently cup her face, her eyes closing as the pair shared a few seconds of intimacy, the blonde's body finally relaxing as she hissed slightly into the mouth of her savior.

"Ah, shit. We really need to do something about your arm Ino, it's only going to get worse if we leave it."

She got a nod in response and the two slowly stood, making their way out of the kitchen to run her burnt skin under a cold shower.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sakura made sure to keep a close eye on Ino during the following days, making sure she wasn't getting too stressed out and generally keeping her company as often as she could. She even made an arrangement with Mrs. Yuhi to slightly change the seating arrangement, keeping the details vague but stating that she had to stay beside her due to an 'incident' at home. Naturally the woman was skeptical at first, but the sight of her student practically pleading with her to reconsider gave her no choice but to bend the rules just this once. The pair had explained to questioning students and teachers that the bandage around Ino's forearm was simply an accident while cooking, to which a few people stated that she was lucky she was roommates with a doctor in training.

"Yeah, she's been taking care of me, even fed me a couple of times cause I couldn't use a fork without it hurting" Ino winked at her friend Karin, something of a know-it-all redhead who shared the same medical studies classes with Sakura, giggling as the pinkette delivered a playful swat at the back of her head.

"Don't make it sound weird Ino, I'm helping you recover, not babying you."

Both girls shot each other a smile, before returning to their respective conversations with schoolmates.

The day of the exams rolled around like any other, the two getting themselves ready to leave before Ino suddenly grabbed Sakura by the shoulder, yanking her attention to her.

"What the he-"

Sakura paused, looking Ino in the eyes as the blonde stood before her with an expression of fear staring back at her, though she was trying her damnedest to look calm.

"Look, I know all this stuff is important today, and I'm gonna give it my all." She took a deep breath, never once breaking eye contact. "When it's all over, I promise you, I'm never gonna lie to you again."

The pinkette blinked, not entirely sure what her friend was talking about, but before she could ask she was being led towards the door by her hand, held firmly by Ino.

"C'mon, lets go kick some ass."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"God damn! That felt like an eternity!"

Ino slumped down into her favorite spot on the couch, kicking off her shoes on the way as her overwhelming need to relax took over and she gave out a long sigh of relief.

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad." Sakura gently nestled herself into the spot beside her, leaning back against the cushions as she watched the blonde's reclined form with her bandaged forearm over her eyes in a dramatic display. "Besides, you seemed to be pretty focused, looking all serious like that."

Lifting her head, Ino turned to give her friend a half-smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"You were watching me? How freaking quickly did you finish?"

"Quick enough to watch you trying to count to sixty on your fingers."

She was met with a sudden blow of a soft cushion to the face, gasping as she returned fire with her own in hand. The pair of girls giggling like children as they battled each other on the couch, eventually coming to a close when Sakura pushed Ino onto her back, straddling her hips as eyes met and playful giggles died down into awkward chuckles, both pairs of cheeks dusted with a soft pink and fingers intertwining as the blonde's hands wriggled free of the pinning grip to hold them gently.

"Ino, I wanted to ask you something." The pinkette's eyes averted from Ino's seemingly unsure of what she might be in store for. "This morning, before we left the house. What did you mean when you said about, never lying again?"

"I think it's pretty self explanatory Sakura."

Twisting her hands free from the gentle grip, Ino reached to slide her touch up Sakura's sides, prompting a light shiver from the girl sitting atop her, half-lidded eyes scanning the features of the delicately rose-tinged face above.

"It means that I'm done hiding things from you. No more secrets, no more lies." She took a slow breath through her nose, looking her best friend in the eyes intently focused on her and her alone. "I love you, Sakura. Always have, always will."

Sakura's cheeks flushed a slightly deeper shade of pink, but she simply smiled.

"Oh, Ino, you know I love you too. We've been together for as long as I can remember, and I don't think anything is gonna stop us being friends."

A heavy frown and a shake of the head caught the pinkette's attention, but the sudden pull of Ino's hands behind her head and the rough way she smooshed her lips against her own caused Sakura to blush fiercer than she thought she ever could. Holding the clumsy kiss for several seconds, Ino left the pair breathless as they parted and simply stared into each other's glazed orbs for what felt like eternity, each of them seeming to find something they had been missing for the longest time in such a simple moment.

"I.. love you. For real, Sakura, you mean everything to me and I don't want to spend another day without you. I don't want any more of this pretending what we have isn't real, all I want is for you to see it too."

Sakura hadn't been able to tear her gaze away from Ino, the entire time she spoke her eyes darted around her face. Gorgeous eyes, full lips, cute button-nose, painstakingly shaped eyebrows, everything about her was perfect, and making Sakura realize just how beautiful the girl she'd grown up with had become.

"Ino... I.." She paused, only for a few seconds, but the wait was almost agonizing. "I would be lying if I said there's nothing between us, I don't know any friends who do the things we do." She smiled, a subtle but caring expression that had the blonde fighting back tears in anticipation of what was coming. "But, can we really do this? We've been just as close as any couples out there for so long, what makes you think that calling each other girlfriends will be..."

Her expression changed, almost as if a spark had gone off somewhere in her head and lit up her eyes in a sudden explosion of realization.

"That... That's what I want, I want that." A slight tilt of the head and a confused look from below caused Sakura to well up, her quivering lips curling into the warmest smile Ino had ever seen from her. "I want you. Just you."

There was no time to respond before Sakura had taken her face in her hands and was smothering her with kisses, both girls starting to laugh through flowing tears as they connected, lips locked in the first truly passionate kiss they had shared. Ino pulled the pinkette close, bodies pressing tightly together as they began the unsynchronized dance of lips and tongues, both faces flushed a cherry red while breaths became hard to take. Subtle whimpers were almost drowned out by the wet sounds of the pair's passion and intensity, suddenly broken by a short yelp as Sakura felt a stealthy hand slide under her skirt and take a firm hold of her plush behind.

"I-Ino.. Wait a minute." Sakura sat up, hands pushing her hair back behind her ears as she took a moment to catch her breath, the panting blonde's hand still waiting patiently on her rear. "We.. We're gonna.."

Stifling a soft chuckle, Ino simply nodded. As confident as she was coming across, her near-crimson face and heart hammering against her ribs betrayed just how nervous she was.

"Do you, think we really can?" She gently lowered herself back down to Ino's level, eyes locked on her partner's while her trembling hands held her up from either side of the blonde's shoulders. "Wouldn't it.. be weird?"

"You're kidding, right?" Ino raised a quizzical eyebrow, giving a sassy smirk. "Sakura, I've seen you naked, felt you up at school, kissed you nearly every day for the last five years. What part of this could possibly be weird after all this time?"

"This time it.. Actually means something."

Both girls stared silently at each other for a moment, Ino's free hand rising slowly to cup her girlfriend's cheek, her thumb rubbing delicately over damp, smooth skin.

"Yeah, it means everything."

With another quivering smile, Sakura leaned down to reclaim her love's lips. Eventually pulling away to free herself from Ino's hold and stand, she answered the blonde's confused expression with an outstretched hand.

"There's more room on the bed."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ino felt her way, slowly and teasingly along the outer sides of her girlfriend's bare thighs, Sakura let slip a soft gasp and her body shivered against the tender touch of her love's slender fingers. Slipping her fingertips under the waistline of the pinkette's cute, childish panties, Ino's lips curled into a playful smile. Sakura lifted her head and looked down at the lustful eyes of her partner, suddenly whipping her hand around to hold Ino's in its place, catching the attention she was seeking, she gave a somewhat worried expression which caught the older girl off guard.

"Sakura? What's wrong?"

Ino twisted her wrist to hold the trembling hand that touched hers.

"If you're not feeling up to it, we don't have to-"

"No!"

Sakura blurted out louder than she really intended to, retreating her posture as a blush crept its way over her face.

"I mean... I want to, I just."

"Then what's the problem?"

The blonde gave her a strange look and cocked her eyebrow, she loved Sakura but couldn't deny that she could try her patience when she got flustered.

"I don't.. want you to get mad at me."

"Sakura, c'mon. What about this situation could possibly get me mad at you?"

"It's just... We're supposed to be open now, no secrets."

"Secret? Have you somehow gotten a naughty piercing without me knowing?"

Despite Sakura's futile effort at protest, Ino hooked her fingers under the waistband and slowly pulled, watching the pinkette's shy demeanor, the back of her hand held over her mouth and her cheeks flushed a deep pink while her last line of defence slid delicately down her legs. The blonde's hand slid over the lower region of the girl's stomach, feeling her way over lightly toned abs, playfully probing at the ticklish point of the navel, teasingly gliding over the gentle curve that led to her fingertips stroking over the soft and tidy patch of hair above her womanhood.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Holy shit..."

The pair of breathless girls lay beside each other, both staring blankly at the ceiling as their vision attempted to clear the stars from their eyes. Barely covered by the blanket that was draped over their naked bodies, their hands entangled between them while their heavy breaths took over for any noise they had been making before.

"That was... Just.. Wow..."

Slowly turning their heads, the girls locked eyes and couldn't stop the loving smiles that crept over their lips. Reaching up to pull her hair behind her ear, Sakura gave her lover's hand a squeeze.

"Ino, let's make a promise."

"Don't we already have a new promise?"

Rolling onto her side, facing the blonde, Sakura prompted her to do the same, resting her forehead against Ino's.

"This one overrides all the others, the promise to end all promises."

"Alright." The blonde giggled softly. "What is it?"

"I promise, as long as we both live, and even beyond. I will never love anyone, but you. Even if we end up in different places, we'll always have each other, and we're sure as hell gonna make it count when we have time together."

The pair giggled as they leaned in for a kiss, pulling each other close and gently intertwining their legs beneath the covers. Each ended up with both hands resting comfortably on the other's rear, as they parted and gazed into each other's eyes.

"So, I have a question."

"Hm?"

"How the hell have you managed to hide all this time, that you're not naturally pink?"


End file.
